Hurricane Marco
'''Hurricane Marco '''was the costliest, second-most intense, and nineteenth-deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, as well as the strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane on record and the second-largest Atlantic hurricane. hurricane on record. Marco caused major damage in much of the Lesser Antilles and most of the East Coast of the United States, but the worst damage was in the states of North Carolina and New York, where a storm surge up to 40 feet (12 meters), up to 60 inches (152 cm) of rain, and sustained winds as high as 175 mph (282 km/h) caused extremely catastrophic damage and destruction. Floodwaters reached the second stories of buildings that were still standing, and the high winds ripped buildings from their foundations and tore them to pieces. In total, it destroyed over 200,000 homes, damaged over 300,000 others, caused $212.4 billion in damage, left 1,024 people dead, and thousands more injured. Marco began as a tropical depression off the west coast of Africa on August 30. With extremely favorable conditions, it rapidly intensified, and became a tropical storm over the Cabo Verde Islands on September 1. It continued to strengthen as it moved across the Atlantic, peaking as a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 190 mph (306 km/h). In the early morning hours of September 6, Marco made landfall near Morehead City, North Carolina with sustained winds of 175 mph (282 km/h) and a storm surge as high as 40 feet (12 meters) at times. At landfall, Marco had a barometric pressure of 896 mbar (26.46 inHg), making it the most intense hurricane to ever strike the United States. Several hours later, Marco emerged into the Atlantic, and proceeded to make landfall near Fire Island, New York during the afternoon of September 7, with sustained winds of 150 mph (241 km/h) and a storm surge as high as 35 feet (11 meters). Late the next day, Marco emerged into the Gulf of Maine at Category 2 strength, and made landfall near Dartmouth, Nova Scotia with sustained winds of 100 mph (161 km/h) in the early morning hours of September 9. Later that day, it made a final landfall near Saint Mary's, Newfoundland as a minimal hurricane, and became extratropical the next day after moving over colder waters. Marco first inflicted structural damage as it passed north of the Lesser Antilles, lashing the islands with heavy rain, storm surge, high winds, and even isolated tornadoes. Storm surge caused significant damage in coastal areas, and heavy rain from the storm's rainbands caused localized flooding. There were also some minor effects in parts of the Bahamas. The most severe impacts of the storm were felt in North Carolina, where sustained winds as high as 175 mph (282 km/h), a storm surge as high as 40 feet (12 meters), and up to 60 inches (152 cm) of rain caused catastrophic damage. Many buildings were ripped from their foundations and torn to pieces by the high winds, and the buildings that were not destroyed sustained heavy damage and flooding up to the second story and even higher in some locations. A wind gust of 216 mph (348 km/h) was recorded in Morehead City, North Carolina. The towns of Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Cape Lookout, and Harkers Island recieved the brunt of the storm in North Carolina. Tens of thousands of acres of trees were downed, and thousands of acres of beach destroyed. As Marco moved up the East Coast of the United States, it caused damage in many areas, lashing the coast with torrential rain, storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and tornadoes. Storm surge combined with torrential rain caused major flooding in many coastal areas. With relatively warm waters extending unusually far north, Marco only weakened slightly, and made landfall near Fire Island, New York with sustained winds of 150 mph (241 km/h) and a storm surge as high as 35 feet (11 meters). The storm began to stall as it moved over New England, allowing it to dump up to 50 inches (127 cm) of rain in some locations. The city of New York experienced catastrophic effects, with up to 30 inches (76 cm) of rain causing major flooding in much of the city, and high winds damaging icons like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. Due to the massive size of the storm, the northeastern United States continued to feel the impacts of the storm long after its center had moved offshore, with heavy rain, high winds, and storm surge lasting for days. Meteorological history A tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa on August 28. The wave quickly organized, and sporadic convection was already occurring near the system's center late that day. It is estimated that Tropical Depression Sixteen developed off the coast of the Cabo Verde Islands early on August 29. With water temperatures warm enough to sustain a tropical system and virtually no wind shear, Tropical Depression Three continued to intensify and became Tropical Storm Marco within hours. With extremely favorable conditions, Marco quickly strengthened as it slowly moved westward at an average speed of around 12 mph (19 km/h), becoming a hurricane late on August 30. The system developed a very large, well-defined eye, and began to increase in size as it intensified. On September 1, Marco reached major hurricane status while positioned approximately 600 miles (966 km/h) east of Barbuda. A few hours later, it began to undergo rapid intensification, with the storm's sustained winds increasing from 120 mph (193 km/h) to 170 mph (274 km/h) in less than 12 hours. Three days later, Marco reached peak intensity with sustained winds of 190 mph (306 km/h), a barometric pressure of 888 mbar (26.22 inHg), and a diameter of nearly 1,000 miles (1609 km). Following an eyewall replacement cycle, Marco weakened, with convection decreasing and the eye of the storm becoming less defined, and was downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane on September 5. However, as it moved into another path of extremely warm waters, it quickly regained strength, and reached sustained winds of 185 mph (298 km/h) while around 150 miles (241 km) east of the Bahamas. With the Bermuda-Azores High to the west and a ridge to the east, the storm made an abrupt turn to the north, defying many forecasts that depicted a Florida landfall. At around 8:00 UTC on September 6, the storm made landfall near Morehead City, North Carolina with sustained winds of 175 mph (282 km/h). After making landfall, Marco's speed began to rapidly increase. At around 17:30 UTC on September 7, it made landfall near Fire Island, New York with sustained winds of 150 mph (241 km/h). It began to stall as it moved over New England, but still was able to dump massive amounts of rain in many locations. The storm weakened as it moved over cooler waters in the Gulf of Maine, and it made landfall near Dartmouth, Nova Scotia with sustained winds of 100 mph (161 km/h) at around 7:00 UTC on September 9. It continued to weaken as it moved over waters too cold to sustain a tropical cyclone, and made a final landfall near Saint Mary's, Newfoundland at around 18:00 UTC later that day. Marco rapidly weakened as it moved over the cold waters of the open northern Atlantic, and it is estimated to have become extratropical by 00:00 UTC on September 10. The system's circulation continued to break down, and it was declared to have become a remnant low on September 14. Marco's remnants went on to impact the British Isles and Scandinavia, with locally heavy rain causing flooding in some areas and several inches of snow even being noted in the highest elevations of the mountains of Scandinavia. Category:Misteeer Category:Hurricane Category:Tropical Cyclone Category:Tropics Category:United States Category:Canada Category:Caribbean Category:2020